RIR Layer w/ droopy comb... bluish tips!????

[WasabiChicki]

I noticed yesterday that my 3 y.o. RIR had runny yellowish poop... thought to myself, uh oh but was gone all day & did nothing about it! Everyone else is fine today but the RIR's comb is flopped over & 2 of the 5 tips look a little blue.
I've read in this forum that dehydration can cause a comb to look like this but what could cause the dehydration? It's still a cool rainy spring here in Nor Cal... Some other sickness to ID?
The RIR, "Henny Penny", is just standing there today, very little interest in foraging w/ the other 3... I gave her some scrambled eggs w/ raw milk (a favorite) and she walked right past them!
What could cause these symptoms & what kind of exams/ treatment should I do???

 

[CariLynn]

I am dealing with the SAME exact issue with one of my hens. I put her on antibiotics, kept her in and the blueish tint went away, she perked up, was eating, drinking and all after 5 days on the antibiotics so today she was so miserable inside, I let her back out and am going to let nature do what it does.

I did find this and I suspect this is what she has. While it is a turkey disease, chickens can get it too and there is no "cure".

http://www.millerhatcheries.com/Information/Diseases/blackhead_disease.htm

My hen was/is exhibiting the SAME signs and symptoms of this....good luck and let me know if you find anything out.

 

[binza1979]

my white leghorn did the same thing. She had a small infection on one foot. We cleaned it, put antibiotics on it, and kept her in for a few days. Once she was back out with the rest of the flock, she was fine. She didn't eat or drink that well inside, but once she was outside again, she did better. She was lonely inside.

Good luck! Keep trying to get her to drink and look for other signs of injury and illness.

 

[WasabiChicki]

Thanks so much for the comments! Sorry to hear others are dealing with the same thing; Sounds like a sign of infection then?
Hope to get some more replies... I'm an herbalist, pretty against antibiotics, so I will start echinacea & goldenseal in her water today... Should I isolate her?

I did treat a small wound on her leg about a month ago & it healed fine... could this be an infection internalizing from that?

 

[WasabiChicki]

I put the other three hens back in their yard early... (they usually fee range until dusk)
But I can't get my sick girl to come out from under the house.
I was thinking about kenneling her tonight so I can watch closer whether or not she's drinking.
She is currently just standing under my deck, eyes closed, feathers fluffed...?

 

[WasabiChicki]

I just left her w/ the rest of them... she went to bed on the roost like usual...
she was eating this eve tho very slowly... haven't seen her drink all day.
When Do I WORRY?? (like I'm not already)

 

[WasabiChicki]

*update * The comb isn't blue anymore but still floppy. This is day three of the echinacea & goldenseal treatment & she looked better this morning (no more blue/purple on comb) but she wouldn't come out of the coop... put water in there for her before I had to leave & noticed a soft shelled egg on the floor: WHAT IS THAT ABOUT???